Address plate and index card



@et 3@ R923.

C. E. ELLES ADDRESS PLATE AND INDEX CARD 1922 2 Sheetsfheet 1 Filed April 15 NEWYDM.

I NEM/Vork /A'VENTOR War/es fiza's A HORA-'E Ys BAWZ? c. E. ELLIS ADDRESS PLATE AND INDEX CARD' @et 39 i923.

Filed April 15 2 Sheetsmsheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented @eto 30, i923,

para tra E. ELLIS, 0F WASINGTON, DISTRICT OE COLUI, SSIGNQB OF ONE- TMTEI T0 HENRY RIDDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.`

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.annnrss intern annI rnnnx Gann.

Application iled April 1K5, 1922.o Serial No. 553,826.

.To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CHARLES E. ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Address Plates and Index Cards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stencil or address plates and index cards intended for use with addressing machines and for card index systems; and has special reference to the provision of a stencil plate and index card constructed and adapted to permit convenient manipulation and handling during the cuttino' of the type characters on the stencil an to provide an index and printing plate eiliciently serviceable during card indexing and addressing use.

Une of the principal objects of my present invention comprehends the provisionof a stencil or address plate possessing the characteristics of sufficient rigidity to afford a stable, strong and durable structure for indexing purposes, of suitable thickness to permit of proper mechanical feeding through an addressing machine and of suiiicient iexibility and pliability to afford or permit the facile cutting of the stencil in an Ordinar typewriter without the employment of t e usual plate receiving attachments. A well-known form of stencil plate for addressing machines comprises a libre or board body or frame provided with an orifice or window over which is affixed a stencil sheet, the latter being adapted to be cut with the desired type characters in an ordinary typewriter. A. stencil plate of this kind is desirably made relatively rigid and thick to the end of providing a structure having suihcient body capable of' standing upright in an index drawer or file and capable of withstanding the rough service to which it is subjected during indexing and addressing machine use. A disadvantage in this prior form of stencil plate resides in the fact that the trame or plate is not flexible and pliable enough to be received between the *feed rollers of al typewriting machine without mutilating or otherwise rendering the same unfit for use, it being the practice in cutting a stencil in a typewriter to mount stencil-supporting attachments on the typewriter, the employment of such attachments being attended in practice with various difficulties, To

eliminate the disadvantages inherent in and incident to the use of these prior stencil plates, my present invention comprehends the provision of a' stencil plate construction which, although of sutlicient rigidity, stiness and body to eiiicientl stand up during card-indexing and a dressin machine use, is constructed to provide su cient flexibility and yieldability tor insertion in the ordinary typewriter for cutting of the stencil.

Another principal object of my present invention relates to the provision of a stencil plate which may be interchangeably employed as a record card and as a guide or index card during indexing use, the lplate being so constructed that any changes in the indexin system ma be made with extreme rapi ity, ease an convenience in accordance with the changesfrom time to time of the index 'or mailing list. Where a mailing list is to be kept always up-todate, it is of great importance that the indexino' of the address plates should be capable of being changed in a simple manner and with rapidity and convenience. To permit rapid changes in indexing each stencil plate of my invention is constructed to lbe readily adaptable for serving as a. guide or index card, the stencil being constructed to readily receive removableindex or guide tabs, the construction provided being, furthermore, such that the stencil plate with or without the index tab thereon Oilers no undesirable surface or edge projections as is the case in prior constructions, a perfectly fiat plate or frame without upstanding tabs being thereby provided with the plate thus capable of rendering sufficient service as an index card.

rlhe principal objects of my present invention may be said to include, besides the provision of an address plate and index card having the characteristics and yielding the results above inentiqned, the Jfurther provision of a laminated plate or index card having a plurality of layers or plies 0bta'ined from a blank of flexible sheet material, the latter being adapted for easy insertion in an ordinary typewriter for stencil cutting, the blank after stencil-cutting operation being folded into laminated formation with the layers or laminations united and forming a rigid and strong stencil plate or card; the further provision of a card r stencil late of this nature in which the frame of the stencil may be provided with an easily legible record of the stencil.

' or index card in which the laminations or plies are so united as to provide va tab-geceiving valley or channel between the laminations at an edge thereof, the said channel being intended for removably receiving guide 0r index tabs without effecting ai structure having any undesirable edge or surface rojections on the card or late; the furt er provision of a blank aapted to be folded for providing the laminated stencil card and the still further provision of a plate or card of the nature referred to provided with means adapted to cooperate with feeding implements in the addressing machine for efficiently feeding the stenci plates tbreugh the addressing machine without incurrin the disadvantages inherent in rior feeding methods. l To t evaccomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereafter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the other,

as hereinafter particularly described and' sought to be defined in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show preferred embodiments of my invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my stencil plates arranged in stack formation in an index file or drawer,

Figure 2 is a view of a blank from which the stencil plate is formed,

Figure 3 is a View of the same showing the manner of cutting the stencil,

Figure 4 is a view of the blank showing the manner of folding the same into stencil plate frame formation,

Figure 5 is a. cross sectional vie-w of the Same taken on the line 5'-5, Figure 6,

Figure 6 is a. face view of the plate showing the manner in which the same is adapted for receiving removable index orguide tabs,

Figure 7 is a view showing a modification of the stencil plate'blank,

Fi re 8 is a View of the same folded into stencil plate formation, and. v

Figure 9 is a view of a still further modificatlon showing an ordina-1y index card made in accordance with the principles of myv invention.

,As hereinbefore indicated, a principal object of my present invention comprehends the provision of an index plate o1' stencil constructed to be readily insertible in the rollers of an ordinary typewriter for cutting the stencil and constructed to provide a rigid, strong and durable stencil plate. l To these ends I have found it desirable to provide a laminated stencil frame or plate 'made from a blank of flexible sheet material, the blank having the desired characteristics of flexibility and yieldability for insertion in a typewriter, the said flexible blank being adapted to be folded into stencilplate formation. Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the blank which I prefer to use may comprise a sheet of flexible material A made of paper, cardboard, fibre or the like, the said blank being cut or shaped to provide the end sections a and a2 and an intermediate section at, the section at being adapted to be folded about the scoring line s to overlie the section a3, the'section a" being in turn intended for being folded over the section a2 about the scoring line s2. Where the frame is to be used as a stencil plateeach section a', a2 and a3 is provided with an orifice of suitable preferably rectangular form, the

section a being provided with the orifice o', the section a2 with tthe orifice 02 and the Section a 'with the orifice '03, these orifices being so cut in the respective sections as to register with one another when the sections are folded into overlying or superposed'relation. One of the orifices may be covered with a stencil sheet such as a stencil fabric and in the 'present form of my construction the orifice 03 is so covered with a stencil sheet S, the latter being affixed to the section L3 as by being pasted thereover. Although I prefer to provide three sections a', a2 and a3, it will be apparent that any number of sections may be provided such, for example, as the two sections a and a3, the section a2 being preferably employed for a further purpose, as will appear hereinafter.

For cutting the type characters in the stencil sheet S the flexible blank A is intended to be folded and inserted between the rollers of an ordinary typewriter and to this cnd the said blank A may be scored as at b, the scoring I) being'such as to permit backward folding of the section a. beneath the section a3. This is shown, for example, in Figure 3 of the drawings, in which the top section a" is folded underneath the stencil secf' ure 3, this arrangement further permitting thc recording of the data of the stencil on the section a concomitantly with the cutting of the type characters on the stencil S. desideratum of the invention, as hereinbefore mentioned, comprchends a stencil structure in which the obverse face or side of the final stencil plate may be provided with the legible data of the stencil itself, with the data preferably recorded ad'acent the upper si'red data on the face. f of the section a, the

desired record data appearing on the face of the card adjacent its upper edge, as clearly shown at 1J in Figures .l and 6 of the drawings.

After the cutting of thev stencil on the flexible blank and the transfer of the data thereof on the obverse face of the section a' of the blank, the blank is folded to provide a laminated and rigid stencil plate. rlhis is shown particularly in Figure d of the drawings, .and referring novv to this figure, it will be seen that the section a2 has been folded to overlie the section a3; the section a beingshovvn here in-the process of being folded to overlie the combined sections aZ and as. These lsections in the finished plate form a plurality of plies or layers which are adhesively connected together to provide the desired frame. For suitably attaching the plies together the section a2 may be provided on its opposite faces f and f2 with an adhesive material, these faces being preferably gummed So that when the blank is folded into the desired configuration the opposite faces f and f2 of the section a2 may be suitably moistened and aiixed to the adjacent faces of the sec-A tions or plies a and a3, the resulting laminated plate generally designated as L being clearly shown in Figures l, 5 and 6 of the drawings.

As heretofore referred to, another principal object 0f my present invention relates to the production of a stencil plate which is adapted for interchangeable use as an ordinary card and as an index or guide card, each stencil plate being constructed to det-achably receive index or guide tabs in a quick and convenient manner. 'lio the accomplishment 0f these ends the sections or laminations of the plate are so united as to leave ununited or free walls of the plies adjacent the top edge of the plate, the said ununited wall portions defining a valley or channel for the reception of a removable index tab. ln the preferred construction, to attain this end the intermediate section or ply a2 is provided with portions of less height or width than the exterior layers 'or sections a distance from the folded edge of the sections a and as provided by the scoring line s2. With the provision of this structure, when the layers or plies are united together throughout the area of the section a? the contiguous or adjacent Wall portions of the sections a and e at the upper or folded edge thereof are'free and ununited, the said walls being, furthermore, spaced apart by the interposition of the section or ply a2, a free transverse channel or valley v being thereby provided, the construction being such that the top edge e2 and the scored edge a2 provide limiting abutments for properly positioning and holding an index tab freely insertible in the valley v. This is clearlyv shown in Figures land 6 of the drawings, and referring to these figures, it will be seen thatone or more index tabs such as t and t may M removably inserted as at opposite sides of "the stencil plate. F or exposing these guide or index tabs to view the top edge of the laminated plate is suitably notched to provide exposure openings and to this end the stencil blank A may be i initially provided with cut-out portions such as c and c arranged at the scoring line c2 such that when the section a is folded over the'section a3 the cut-out portions c and c will define the exposure open-I ings for the index tabs t and t', this being clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings.

ln the prior use of stencil plates in addressing machines the plates are fed to the point of imprint by being pushed or drawn from the magazine, the feeding of the advance lates being dependent upon the feeding ofJ subsequent plates, this method of feeding resulting in considerable clogging and jamming of the plates in the addressing mach-ine. To eliminate this disadvantage l prefer to provide in the stencil plate of my construction cut-out portions to serve as feedin notches adapted for cooperation with moving pawls effective to individually feed each of the stencil plates independent of the others, undesirable clogging and jamming being thereby obviated. To this end each of the sections a", @Zand a3 is provided With complementari cut-out portions in the side edges thereof such as d and d', all the cut-out portions d being adapted for registration in the laminated plate L, the registered cut-out portions defining feeding notches adapted for the beforementioned cooperation with feeding pawls. '.lhese notches d and d are preferably situated so as to be decenti-ally located in the plate. feeding of the plate being thereby facilitated. With this method of feeding l am further enabled to make the stencils of much thinner material, the provision of thick stencils having been previously in ypart made necessarv bv the limitations of the feeding methods employed in the addressing izo p machine. With my construction, therefore, thinner stencils may be employed, thereby further enabling more of the stencils to be filed or stored in a given space.

`Where the record or data adjacent the upper edge of the plate is not desired, t-h e stencil plate may be made of smaller d1,- mensions as shown in Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings. Referring to these figures, the blank A may be madeto provide the sections at, af and a, these sections being of smaller dimensions than the corresponding sections of the blank A shown in Figure 2, these sections being provided with the orifices or windows o, o5 and 06, the window 0 being covered bv the stencil sheet S', the latter-being affixed to the section c as by being yglued or pasted the-reto. The blank may be scored as at s and 84 to facititate folding of the blank into the laminated plate formation L. 'The blank may be also provided with the cut-out portions c2 and c3 for defining the exposure notches in the top edge of the plate. yliu lieu of providing the section a5 with the gumming'material on its opposite faces thereof, all the sectionsa, a and a may be suitably gummed, leaving, however, the contiguous Wall portions of the sections a4 and a adjacent the scoring line s* clear and ungumnied to permit the obtainin of the free channel gv in the resulting p ate formation, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawin s.

tlhe principles embodied in my stencil plate may be employed for 'ordinary index cards where it is desired to provide a card interchangeably utilizable for record and indexing purposes. Suc-h a card is shown in Figure 9 of the drawings and referring to this figure the card L2 comprises the three laminations or plies a7, a8 and a? united together in a manner similar to the attac-hing of the sections in the stencil plate heretofore detailed, the intermediate ply as being of lesser dimensions than the exterior plies a9 and a7, this to the end of providing the free and unobstructed channel '112. The card may be suitably notched as at c" and c5 to provide the exposure openings for the index tabs, these notches being obtained by cutting out suitable portions 1n the blank from which the index card is made.

The manner of making and using my stencil plate and index card will, in the main.l be apparent from the above detailed description thereof. The plates may be sold and. distributed to the trade in the blank form as shown in 4Figure 2 of the drawings, the

said blank consisting of a fiexible and pliable sheet A having the desired cut-out portions and notches therein. For cutting or perforating the stencil, the section a is folded over the scored line b underneath the section a3, a ysuitable backing for the stencil sheet S being thus provided; and the section a receives during stencil cutting an imprint for obtaining a legible record on the obverse side of the resulting laminated plate, `all as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 6 of the drawings. After cutting of the stencil the sections or plies a', a2 and a3 are folded over the lines s and s2 and the sections or plies are united to e'ect the Iprovision of the laminatedplate L shown in `igures l, 5 and 6 of the drawings. The parts are so relatively arranged and contoured as to provide a free channell yv at the upper edge of the plate for the removable reception of index tabs or guides. With this construction it will be seen that l may provide a laminated card or plate which is strong, rigid and durable while at the same time providing a flexible construct-ion adapted for simple and easy insertion in an` ordinary typewriter during stencil cutting. It will be further seen that i have provided a card for interchangeable use wherein the index tabs may be quickly inserted and removed froni time to time as the needs of service require, the stencil plates being constructed for receiving removable. index tabs without producing surface or edge projections in the plates, as is the case in prior constructions, the plate being perfectly flat on both sides thereof and no projecting portions being provided at the top edges of the plates, the top Wall of a stack formation as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings being perfectly smooth and flat, thus eliminating tearable and mutilatable projecting tabs incident to prior structures of this type. It will be further understood that by the provision of the feeding notches i am enabled to feed the stencil plates with considerable facili-ty in the addressing machine. My stencil plate and index card thus ismade to combine characteristics desirable in all of its uses, first for stencil cutting, then for indexing purposes and lastly for utilization in addressing machines.

While Ihave sho-wn' my device in the preferred form, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without de arting from the spirit of the invention, de ned in the following claims.

l claim:

l. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated address plate or frame made of flexible sheet material and folded to provide a plurality of layers or plies, the said layers being united with contiguous wall portions of the layers at an edge of the. plate left ununited or free for defining or providing a channel or valley adapted for the reeption of a removable index or guide ta 2.' As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or fra-me made'of iiexible sheet material and folded to provide a plurality of layers or plies, the Said layers lbematerial in uni with contiguous wall portions of th laygg at an e of the plate left ununited ,or free for ening or roviding a channel or valleyl adapted for t 4e reception of a removable index or guide tab, thel said edge of the late being provided with an exposure notch for the said index or guide tab.

3. As a new' article of manufacture, a laminated stencil plate or frame comprising a plurality' of layers or plies of sheet united with contiguous wall portions at an ed e of the plate left free and defining a ta -receiving and positioning channel or valley.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated stencil plate or frame comprising a plurality of layers or plies of sheet material united, with contiguous wall portions at an edve of the plate left free and definin a ta -receiving and positioning channe or valley, the said edge beingl provided with cut-out portions for exposing the tabs.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or frame made of a rsin le blank of dexible sheet material and fol ed to provide a plurality of layers or plies, the said layers being united with conti uous wall portions of the layers at the olded A edge of the plate left ununited or free for ning an index tab receiving channel or valley.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated address plate or frame made of flexible sheet material-and folded to provide a pluralit of layers or plies, the said sheet material :being orificed to provide when folded into plate formation an exposure notch in an edge thereof, the said layers of the plate being united withV contiguous wall portions of the layersat the said edge of the plate left ununited or free for providing an index tab receiving channel.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated stencil plate orl frame comprising a plurality of layers or plies of sheet material provided stencil sheet thereover, the said layers being united with contiguous wall portions at an edge of the plate left ununited and defining a tab-receiving and positioning channel or valley. l

8. As a new article of manufacture, a blank adapted to be folded for providing a laminated plate or frame, the said blank being provided with a plurality. of wing sections adapted to be folded into overlying relation, the blank being provided with a cut-out portion between the said sections adapted upon folding of the blank-to provide a tab exposure notch in an edge of the l plate.

with registering orifices and a laminated plate or trame, the said blank being provided with a plurality of wing sections adapted to be folded into overl ing relation, the blank bein provided wit a cutout portion between t e said sections adapted upon folding of the blank to provide a tab exposure notch in an edge of the plate, the overlyin wing sections being oriliced with the ori ces arranged to register in the folded blank anda stencil sheet covering one of the orices.

10. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or frame made of sheet material and folded to provide aplurality of 4united layers or plies, the said layers including exterior plies and an intermediate ply, an edge portion of the intermediate ply being spaced from a folded edge of the exterior plies, the space therebetween definin a tab-receiving valley or channel, the fo ded edge of the exterior plies and the edge portion of the intermediate ly forming limiting abutments for the said valley.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated address plate or frame made of sheet material and including a plurality of united layers or plies, the said layers comprising exterior plies, and anintermediale ply spaced from adjacentedges of the exterior plies, the space therebetween deliring a tab-receiving Valley or channel having spaced walls.

12. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or frame made of sheet material and folded to provide a plurality of united layers or plies, the said layers including exterior plies and an intermediate ply, an edge portionv of the intermediate ply being spaced from a folded edge of the exterior plies, the space therebetween delining a tab-receiving valley or channel, thel folded edge of the exterior plies and the edge portion of the intermediate pl forming limiting abutments for the sai valley, the said folded edge of the exterior plies being cut to provide a tab exposure notch.

13. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or frame made of sheet material and including a plurality of united layers or plies, the said layers comprising.

exterior p lies and an intermediate ply, an edge portion of the intermediate ply eing noV lill

lll

spaced from the adjacent edges of the exl terior plies, the spare therebetween defining a tab-receiving valley or channel, the said plies being provided with registering orifices or windows and a stencil plate afxed thereover.

14. As a new article of manufacture, a blank adapted to be folded to provide a laminated plate or frame, the said blank including an intermediate section and two end sections, the end sections being adapted to'be folded into overlying relation wlth respect to the intermediate section with one of the end sections having portions of lesser width than the other whereby, when the sections are folded and united, a plate having a channel in an edge thereof is provided.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a blank adaptedl to be folded to provide a laminated plate or frame, the said blank including an intermediate section and two end sections, the said sections being provided with orifices adapted to register when the blank)V is folded, one of the orifices being covered with a stencil sheet, the end sections being adapted to be folded into overlying relation with respect to the intermediate section, one of' the end sections being of lesser width than the other whereby when the sections are folded and united, a plate having a channel in an edge thereof is'provided.

16. As a new article of manufacture, a blank adapted to be folded to provide a laminated plate or frame, the said blank including an intermediate section and two end sections, the end sections being adapted to be folded into overlying relation with respect to the intermediate section, one of the end sections being of lesser width than the other whereby, when the sections are folded and united, a plate having a channel in an edge thereof is provided, the said end section of lesser width being coated on its opposite faces with adhesive material.

17. As 'a new article of manufacture, a blank of sheet material including two sections eachprovided with' an orifice and adapted when folded for forming a stencil frame with the orifices in registration, a stencil sheet over one of said orifices, the said blank being scored for reverse folding whereby one of the sections is adapted to form a backing sheet for the other'section and arranged to underlie the stencil sheet thereon during cutting of the stencil.

18. As a new article of manufacture, a blank of sheet material including two sections each provided with an orifice and adapted when folded for forming a stencil frame with the orifices in registration, a stencil sheet over one of said orifices, the said blank being provided with a cut-out portion forming an exposure notch in the folded blank, the said blank being scored for reverse folding whereby one of the sections is adapted to form a backing sheety neath the other during cutting of the sten-h cil whereby the data cut upon the stencil may uring cutbe copied upon,- the said underneath section, the construction being such that the copied data appears on the obverse side of the finally folded stencil plate.

' 20. As a new article of manufacture, a blank of sheet material comprising two end sections and an intermediate section each provided with an orifice and adapted when folded for forming a stencil frame with the orifices in registration, a stencil sheet over one of said orifices, the said blank being scored for reverse folding whereby one of thesections is adapted to form a backing sheet for the stencil section during cutting of the stencil, one of the said sections being of less width thanthe other.

21. As a new article of manufacture, a laminated plate or frame made of sheet material folded to provide a plurality of layers or plies, said sheet material being provided with a plurality of orifices arranged to register in the folded plate and with an orifice for providing in an edge of the folded plate an exposure notch for an index tab.

22. As a new article'of manufacture, a laminated address plate or frame made of sheet material including spaced exterior layers or plies and an intermediate layer or ply, the said intermediate ply vbeing spaced from the adjacent edges of the exterior plies with the space defining a tab receiving valley or channel, and an orifice in said exterior plies defining an exposure notch for an index tab.

.Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 12th day of April, A. D. 1922.

' CHAS. E. ELLIS. 

